“Some people get lost in thought because it’s such unfamiliar territory.” ~G. Behn
I’m spending the next few weeks here, there and everywhere. With people who will hopefully motivate me and propel me. By the end of March I envision myself as The Little Helicopter That Could. But apropos of this and all other sundry thoughts of a casual Sunday morning, I ask you this: If you could live anywhere, where would that be? Don’t say Fiji or Belize or something based on warmth and the proportion of hot naked men to women, but based on the real things. Things like friends, family, job opportunities, etc. I’ll go first and in no particular order:
1) Northern California
2) Austin
3) Washington, DC
33 Comments
In this order:
1. Portland
2. San Francisco
3. Chicago
Speaking of DC, I’m going to be there March 16-22. Let me know if you want to get together and mock gay Republicans again.
Having just moved AWAY from Northern California, I would definitely take issue with your #1. (SO SO expensive to live there!) But you’re young and single and you’d probably love it.
We did a ton of research before moving (we’re talking multiple spreadsheets, aggregation of school test scores, neighborhood pricing etc) (we’re big fat nerds that way) and our list looked like this:
1. Vancouver, WA (Metro Portland area)
2. Olympia, WA
3. Tacoma, WA (but only if we couldn’t find work in #1 or #2).
You’re talking to the girl who gave good thought to where she would send her child to school in the even that she stayed in DC forever. This was when I was 17. My kids would go to Sidwell. And I will live in a brownstone in Dupont. And I will be rich. Duh.
Washington is also on my list since I do (kind of) know people there.
I live in DC and love it but wouldn’t mind trying out California…
In this order:
1. Manhattan
2. San Francisco
Sadly if I move from 1. it will not be to 2. It will be LA, and I am so allergic to that place its not funny. Damn career.
After moving to Europe, where I’d always aspired to live, I realized that your criteria (job opps and family proximity) were more important to me than I’d thought.
So, here you go:
1. Portland (where I live now, go figure)
2. San Francisco (where I will live when I win the lottery)
3. New York (would have to switch professions and downsize possessions but hey, it could happen)
(I can open your site! Woo!)
1. Okanagan (BC, Canada) (Where I live now)
2. Southern California (Have loved it since I was wee)
3. Vancouver (Miss it sometimes)
1. San Francisco
2. San Francisco
3. Philadelphia
1. San Fran
2. Boston
3. Napa Valley
I don’t think I’d leave Portland. I love this city, I love this state (um, good thing considering I work for state tourism). But, I do really love Chicago and also Atlanta.
1. San Francisco (even though I live here, words cannot express the love I have for this city)
2. Austin
3. Portland
4. D.C.
5. Nashville
6. Charleston
7. Somewhere in Florida
I lived in MD my entire life (and worked in DC). Now I’m in southern Nevada, which is my #1 choice.
2. Central Florida. Hate the climate and the congestion, but my best friends live there.
3. Suburban San Diego. If it only weren’t so expensive, so prone to earthquakes and so California.
1. Aventura, FL
2. San Diego, CA
3. Cambridge, MA (I currently live in Boston, in a neighborhood I love! And it only tools me 15 years to finally get here!)
I live in Ohio and am literally sick EVERY year from October to May. Warmth would have a lot to do with where I want to live.
1. San Diego, CA
2. Scottsdale, AZ
3. Boulder, CO (Not warm, but gah…gorgeous.)
Thank you for fixing your blog. I wanted to punch that woman in the face, which would have significantly damaged my monitor.
1. Washington, DC (where I currently am and friends are… for now)
2. Upstate (kinda) NY (near family, the other state in which I can currently practice)
3. Connecticut/New England (in a few years — when I can transfer my practice to other states, still somewhat close to family, and after many friends migrate back to their hometowns around there)
It would be so hard for me to leave Portland, too, but that being said:
1. Vancouver, B.C.
2. Boston, MA
3. Nashville, TN
4. Austin, TX
5. London, England
I like where I live most of the time although this morning’s snow (how many plans have been foiled by driving conditions this winter?) is calling my love into question and it isn’t where I could be of the most use right now and the cost of living to income potential ratio is sorely out of wack…hey I think I’m going to move!! Now where to?
1. Crestview, Florida (to help my niece)
2. Key West, Florida (Mom!!!)
3. Woodstock,New York (wait…Maybe I’m not moving)
1. San Francisco
2. San Francisco
3. San Francisco
4. Manhattan … maybe
1. New Orleans
2. New Orleans
3. New Orleans
I have no family or friends there but what an amazing city. The culture and spirit of the people just make me happy. Of course, the beignets help too.
1. Kansas City (hometown, family, friends)
2. Boston (I leave bits of my heart there every time I fly out)
3. Fairfax, VA (I know, I KNOW – but there was something about the area that appealed to me)
Although I’m learning to love Chicago, and I certainly feel at home here, there are also places I’d love to explore:
1. Seattle, WA
2. Austin, TX
3. North Carolina
1. Northern California
2. Southern France
3. New York City
My dream is to live in Sonoma and work in San Francisco. I have a job opportunity there, but don’t have the balls to move away from my family (who are all in New Jersey). : ( Cue the violin!!!
In the following order:
1. Here. My husband and I are both from this area and our families and friends are all close. I love it here.
2. France. A few years ago, I lived in Aix-en-Provence and loved it. I just don’t have the money to buy a vacation villa and jetset back and forth lol.
3. Probably here again. Family friends and all that jazz =)
I miss my family in Wisconsin but wouldn’t give up living in Napa Valley for anything in the world. We thought we’d move to Portland because it’s be a trifle more affordable, but no way, Josie, we’re staying in paradise.
I am soo happy to see Portland on so many lists, it is my number 1, stateside (although after spending a week in newport beach i am torn)
1. portland (i live in the olympia area so am close enough)
2. vancouver
3. sibiu
Mine would be
1) Phoenix (since I went to school there and my closest friends are there and I’ve been thinking, like REALLY thinking, about moving back there soon)
2) San Francisco (I miss it so)
3) San Diego (my ideal place to live)
4) Chicago (I currently live in a kick ass city)
1) Lexington, KY
2) Madison, WI
3) Hot Springs, AR
4) Somewhere far away, where I already have at least one friend, to live for a year (i.e.: Yokohama, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; or St. Croix, USVI)
I think you got it right on the first try. You can live in our treehouse while you look for an apartment.
I would either like to stay where I am:
1. Lexington, KY
2. Alaska
3. Where ever my future grandchildren are…
Oklahoma wouldn’t be anywhere on my list.
I love how many people are happy about where they live now!
1.)return to Sarasota FL-friends + climate
2.)return to Greenville SC-friends + cost of living
3.)Sacramento CA-family
I hate to admit how disappointed I am with San Diego
Delurking! go me!
1) Dublin, Ireland. Where my family and my heart reside
2)London, England. Where I live now. Vibrant, cosmopolitan, it is also where lots of my friends live, and there are jobs that my man and I can get sink our teeth into
3) Edinburgh, Scotland. Wonderful, wonderful city. Lived here for a year and adored it. Will be back.